Ohio’s Rob Portman is one of 47 GOP senators who signed an unprecedented letter to Iran this week. And Ohio’s Democratic senator says he’s flabbergasted.

The open letter was signed by all but seven Republican senators and warned Iranian leaders that if they reach a deal over nuclear arms with the Obama administration, the next president or Congress could quickly undo it.

The White House called it reckless and unprecedented; some others called it treason.

Ohio’s Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown says he would never apply such a term. But he says he also never would have considered taking such an action – even when he was voting against the Iraq War that President George W. Bush was promoting.

“I don’t understand what their thinking was except they don’t much like the president. I didn’t much like President Bush’s foreign policy but I never did anything like this and would never have considered writing a letter to Saddam Hussein or anybody else to undercut what President Bush was trying to do,” says Sen Brown

But in an interview with FoxNews, Sen. Portman – who served in the administrations of both Bush White Houses – rejected that parallel.

“I think the better analogy might be, let’s say the Bush administration was negotiating with Saddam Hussein and Democrats sent a letter saying ‘Hey, this better be a real agreement.’ In other words, ‘You better make some concessions Saddam or else it’s not going to pass muster,” says Portman.

Portman says Congress has been useful in getting the Iranians to negotiate in the first place.

“Sometimes you actually use Congress to get a better deal including frankly the Congressional sanctions that were put in place that helped get the Iranians to the table in the first place. … They wouldn’t even be talking if it wasn’t for the sanctions that were imposed, and Congress insisted on that. In this case, again, we’re just making it very clear to the Iranians that it has to be a strong agreement because it has be one that can withstand the test of time,” adds Portman.

But Democratic Sen. Brown notes that sanctions – until now – have been a bipartisan issue.

“You simply don’t sign a letter to the Ayatollah, to a government you’re negotiating with, that we consider a country we’ve not recognized for years, a country we’ve been at odds with for 30 years, a country that has sponsored terrorism around the world, you simply don’t send a letter to them to undermine negotiations,” says Brown.

Brown would not say if he’s had private conversations with Portman or any of the signatories to the letter. The deal the U.S. is trying to negotiate would limit Iran’s ability to enrich uranium.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is endorsing former Gov. Ted Strickland as the Democrat best suited to challenge fellow senator Rob Portman next year.

Strickland, a one-term governor and former congressman, announced plans last month to challenge Portman, a Republican.

Strickland first must defeat 30-year-old Cincinnati city councilman P.G. Sittenfeld in the 2016 Democratic primary.

Sittenfeld has said he brings youth and new ideas to the party and has no plans to step aside.

In a statement, Strickland’s campaign called Brown a strong voice for the same working and middle-class families Strickland seeks to represent if elected. Republicans criticize Strickland for betraying former stances on coal and guns.

Republicans control all Ohio’s statewide offices, its high court and Legislature, making Brown the highest-ranking Democratic elected official in the state.

Some democrats, including at least two Ohio members of Congress, plan to boycott Tuesday’s scheduled speech to a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli Prime Minister was invited to address Congress by Ohio Republican Speaker John Boehner. Boehner did not inform the White House of the invite. The snub prompted some democrats, including Marcie Kaptur and Marcia Fudge of Ohio, to boycott the speech. Senator Sherrod Brown says he’ll listen to the Prime Minister.

“Well it was an easy decision. I respect Israel. I respect one of the world’s best, most vibrant democracies, one of our closest allies. Our single closest ally in the Middle East. I respect the office of Prime Minister of Israel. So, I’m going to show up,” adds Senator Brown.

Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty says she’ll attend the speech. And, as a former member of congress, Governor John Kasich, will also attend Netanyahu’s speech. The Israeli Prime Minister has been critical of Obama Administration efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2015/03/02/ohio-democrats-say-theyll-boycott-israeli-leaders-speech/feed/4Benjamin Netanyahu,john boehner,joyce beatty,Sherrod BrownSome democrats, including at least two Ohio members of Congress, plan to boycott Tuesday's scheduled speech to a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.Some democrats, including at least two Ohio members of Congress, plan to boycott Tuesday's scheduled speech to a joint session of Congress by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.WOSU Newsno48Columbus Leaders Vow To Bid Again For Future Political Conventionhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2015/02/12/columbus-leaders-vow-bid-future-political-convention/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2015/02/12/columbus-leaders-vow-bid-future-political-convention/#commentsThu, 12 Feb 2015 20:32:17 +0000Tom Borgerdinghttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=87989

Columbus has lost its bid to host a national political convention. The Democratic National Committee decided Philadelphia was better suited as the site to nominate its presidential candidate. Disappointed civic and business leaders promise to use the experience to try again in four years.

Columbus has lost its bid to host a national political convention. The Democratic National Committee decided Philadelphia was better suited as the site to nominate its presidential candidate. Disappointed civic and business leaders promise to use the experience to try again in four years.

An economic boost

Michael Coleman says the Democratic convention would have been a political and economic plum for the city.

At a postmortem news conference at city hall, the mayor celebrated the community effort to lure the convention. He said the bid positioned the city to bigger and better things. Columbus lost out to Philadelphia. A city with three times the population and a political legacy that dates to the formation of the United States.

An underdog

“An underdog, to go into this fight, to end up in the finals. And in the final days you never know if it’s coming to us, if it’s going to the other city. We didn’t get it this time,” says Coleman.

The Democrats’ convention would have been a first for Columbus. City leaders touted affordability, downtown walkability and Ohio’s role as a key political swing state.

A business advocacy group, The Columbus Partnership, helped the city prepare its bid.

“We’re disappointed, and we thought over the last week or so, based on conversations that we were having that we were in a very strong position to win,” says Alex Fischer, Chair of the Columbus Partnership.

Small city problems

But transportation access and a limited ability to raise money hurt the city’s bid.

The Democratic National Committee requires the host city to raise $60-million to help cover convention costs. Fischer says the Columbus business community had so far, committed $30-million to support the bid.

“We had a package that had raised one half of the money that was required, that met the logistical requirements that had unbelievable opportunity at our convention center and arena, and we fell short,” says Fischer.

Fischer says the Columbus Partnership “put a clamp” on the business community to rally behind the convention bid.

Could’t match Philadelphia

But US Senator Sherrod Brown said the city just couldn’t match Philly.

“As much as the business community in Columbus, Mayor Coleman and others stepped up, I think the national party was concerned about how much the city of Columbus and the business community, private and public, would be able to raise,” says Brown.

Business leaders say they now will support Cleveland when it hosts the Republican national convention.

Leaders promise Columbus will bid for one of the 2020 national conventions.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2015/02/12/columbus-leaders-vow-bid-future-political-convention/feed/0Alex Fischer,Democratic National Committee,Michael Coleman,Sherrod BrownColumbus has lost its bid to host a national political convention. The Democratic National Committee decided Philadelphia was better suited as the site to nominate its presidential candidate. Disappointed civic and business leaders promise to use the e...Columbus has lost its bid to host a national political convention. The Democratic National Committee decided Philadelphia was better suited as the site to nominate its presidential candidate. Disappointed civic and business leaders promise to use the experience to try again in four years.WOSU Newsno2:19Olympian Jesse Owens Honored In Senate Resolutionhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/12/20/olympian-jesse-owens-honored-senate-resolution/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/12/20/olympian-jesse-owens-honored-senate-resolution/#commentsSat, 20 Dec 2014 15:31:35 +0000The Associated Presshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=84975

A resolution honoring Ohioan and Olympic athlete Jesse Owens has been approved by the U.S. Senate.

A resolution honoring Ohioan and Olympic athlete Jesse Owens has been approved by the U.S. Senate.

Ohio senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman on Friday announced approval this week of the measure introduced by Brown and co-sponsored by Portman. It recognizes Owens’ athletic accomplishments and his commitment to promoting civil rights.

Brown said in a release that the athlete who won four Olympic gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games became a “global icon” when he discredited the theory of Aryan supremacy and embarrassed the Nazi regime. Portman said Owens stood up to tyranny and the medals won in Berlin made him an American hero.

Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama, in 1913. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio at age 9 and died in Tucson, Arizona, in 1980.

The Ohio Democratic Party is in disarray after finding themselves on the losing end of another electoral sweep in statewide races. With the party chairman resigning, leaders and analysts are weighing in on how the party can bounce back and rebuild.

The Ohio Democratic Party is in disarray after finding themselves on the losing end of another electoral sweep in statewide races. With the party chairman resigning, leaders and analysts are weighing in on how the party can bounce back and rebuild.

“They simply aren’t relevant as a state party right now,” says University of Cincinnati political scientist David Niven. Niven sees Ohio as fairly split state politically—not too red and not too blue. But to regain its impact, Niven says the Democratic Party needs a complete overhaul.

“It’s gonna be like GM going through bankruptcy. There’s still a tremendous amount of value and potential there but they’re going to have to redesign things from the ground up,” says Niven.

That’s the path the party is on—and it basically started when the polls closed on election night. Gov. John Kasich was immediately declared the winner—racking up the second biggest gubernatorial blowout in modern-day Ohio politics.

A few hours later, after the rest of the statewide Republican candidates earned big wins and after he became one of three sitting Ohio House Democrats to be ousted by Republicans, Chris Redfern announced he was stepping down as Democratic Party Chairman.

“There’s another way of looking at it is the only way we can go is up,” says David Leland.

Leland is former Ohio Democratic Party chair and newly elected Ohio House member. He acknowledges the long road ahead but is remaining optimistic. As Leland notes—there are about 10 new faces coming to work at the Statehouse as Democratic lawmakers.

“And I think it’s one of the most talented—strongest group of elected officials that I’ve ever had the chance to talk to,” adds Leland

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown was the last Ohio Democrat to have a big statewide win. Brown says retooling the party must start with strengthening the foundation and reconnecting with its members from the bottom up.

“I think that means including strong women’s voices in leadership of the party. It means paying more attention to the African American community—to all segments of organized labor,” says senator Brown. “All the Democrats—we have a much broader party—there are many more people in the Democratic Party generally representing a much more diverse group of people.”

Brown praises downticket candidates Nina Turner, David Pepper, John Carney, and Connie Pillich—but he says more leaders must emerge.

“I think we start with the four of them and build from the there but we don’t have the farm system we need to develop over the next ten years,” says Brown

As for Redfern’s replacement as party chair? Brown says he’s throwing his support behind Denny Wojtanowski—a former state representative and consultant on several recent statewide campaigns.

Leland expects the party to hold a vote for a new chairman in December—when Redfern’s resignation takes effect.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/11/06/ohio-democrats-face-rebuild-election-losses/feed/2David Leland,Sherrod Brown,University of CincinatiThe Ohio Democratic Party is in disarray after finding themselves on the losing end of another electoral sweep in statewide races. With the party chairman resigning, leaders and analysts are weighing in on how the party can bounce back and rebuild.The Ohio Democratic Party is in disarray after finding themselves on the losing end of another electoral sweep in statewide races. With the party chairman resigning, leaders and analysts are weighing in on how the party can bounce back and rebuild.WOSU Newsno2:46U.S. Senator Pushes Bill He Says Would Help End Vet Homelessnesshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/10/28/sen-brown-wants-end-vet-homelessness-2015-1/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2014/10/28/sen-brown-wants-end-vet-homelessness-2015-1/#commentsTue, 28 Oct 2014 11:29:33 +0000Brian Bullhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=81519

Ohio's senior U.S. Senator has introduced proposals that include letting the VA develop public-private partnerships in order to help vets with legal issues, boost transitional housing programs, and expand existing programs that help former soldiers find jobs.

More than 60,000 U.S. veterans are homeless, according to a federal statistic from 2012.

Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is pushing legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs eradicate that number by 2015.

Senator Brown toured the Cleveland VA’s Domiciliary. It’s a housing and program facility that provides veterans with a place to live and look for work. Susan Fuehrer, Director of the Medical Center, was peppered by the Senator with questions about the operation, including how many beds are being used.

“We have 122 beds, and it’s just about always full. We got one vacant bed,” Fuehrer said.

Brown: “How long is the average stay?”

Fuehrer: “The average stay is about 60 days.”

Brown: “Of the 120, how many of them typically would be getting some sort of mental health counseling, or treatment of some sort?”

“75 percent,” an assistant tells Brown.

Brown has introduced proposals that include letting the VA develop public-private partnerships in order to help vets with legal issues, boost transitional housing programs, and expand existing programs that help former soldiers find jobs.

Veterans who’ve served since 9/11 have a 10-percent unemployment rate.

We owe it to them, with mental health counseling and job training and helping them in their job search and housing them during that period when they’re struggling.

Brown’s proposals also include expanding services and support for women veterans. He says as most homeless vets are men, many existing facilities can’t serve women and their kids.

Ohio members of Congress are calling on the federal government to step up assistance to state health officials as it revises safety protocols to stem the spread of Ebola.

All 16 members of Ohio’s House delegation including GOP Speaker John Boehner sent a letter asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide all necessary help to determine whether Ohioans may have been exposed to Ebola.

Ebola has become a concern in Ohio after a nurse visited the Akron area shortly before she was diagnosed with the virus in Texas.

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown has called on the CDC to send additional Ebola preparedness experts and work more actively on its next steps.

The CDC says that it plans to intensify assistance in Ohio and add personnel.

Health officials say antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to rise and pose threats that can lead to fatal infections. The head of the nation’s public health organization took that message to Cleveland.

Speaking at the Cleveland Clinic, the head of the Centers for Disease Control reiterated findings of his agency. Dr. Tom Frieden said that for a decade now “nightmare bacteria” have done a lot of harm in America.

“We found that more than 2 million Americans have drug resistant infections each year, and that by the lowest possible estimate it was causing 23,000 deaths per year. In addition, something called C. Difficile or CDIF, which is an antibiotic associated infection, is causing or contributing to about 14,000 deaths a year,” Frieden said.

Frieden added that so-called superbugs can kill half of infected patients. But he said there’s still time to tackle and control them.

The CDC is pushing for an item in the 2015 federal budget to fund an initiative that could help halve the toughest nightmare bacteria within five years.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown appeared with Frieden. He is a sponsor of legislation introduced in the Senate in April called STAAR – the Strategies to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Act. A House version of the bill was introduced for the second time more than a year ago but has yet to advance past a Congressional committee.

“I think that members of Congress don’t think much about issues like antibiotic resistance. You don’t go home on weekends and to town hall meetings, people talk about the public health issues. I mean, public health, overall, suffers from the inattention it deserves,” Brown said.

Brown says it’ll take some further education of his Congressional colleagues to better understand the seriousness of the issue.

Ohio lawmakers are pushing U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez to speed up the timetable for determining whether to restore the full pensions of about 20,000 Delphi salaried retirees.

In a letter to Perez on Tuesday, a contingent of Democrats led by Sen. Sherrod Brown called on the secretary to help accelerate the process of making a final determination for the Delphi retirees, including about 5,000 Ohioans. Delphi operated a parts manufacturing plant in West Columbus. The plant was closed and the property now houses the Hollywood Casino Columbus.

Salaried employees who retired from the auto parts maker lost most of their pensions when the government bailed out General Motors. They’ve been waiting nearly five years for a decision from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation about whether to restore those benefits in line with Delphi’s union retirees.